Deficiencies continue to affect W.A., Queensland and Victoria

The Bureau of Meteorology announced today that rainfall
deficiencies expanded in southern Victoria following below
average September rainfall. There was little change to the
patterns of deficiencies affecting southeast Queensland and
the west of Western Australia.

7-month rainfall deficiencies

The first map
shows the regions in southern and western
W.A. that have serious to severe deficiencies for the
seven-month period from March to September. Rainfall was
generally average to above average during September across much
of the affected region, but there was little change in the extent
or intensity of the deficiencies. In some places, totals were the
lowest on record for this particular period. Most of this area
also experienced rainfall deficiencies during the 2000 growing
season.

10-month rainfall deficiencies

There was little change in the pattern of Queensland
rainfall deficits which reflect continued below average falls
following poor summer rains. For the ten months from
December 2000 to September, serious to severe rainfall
deficiencies affect most coastal areas from Rockhampton to
the NSW border, as well as a broad sweep of country centred
on a line from Roma to Gladstone.

5-month rainfall deficiencies

Very much below average September rainfall in Victoria's
East Central and Western & Southern Gippsland districts resulted
in a re-intensification of rainfall deficiencies
near and to the east of Melbourne. Serious to severe deficits exist
for the five months from May to September. Melbourne's water
reserves remain severely depleted after nearly five years of
generally below average rainfall.